Method and apparatus for controlling a gaming operation

ABSTRACT

A system for controlling a gaming operation comprises a secure processing and memory apparatus in the form of a smart card, together with non-secure input and display means connectable to the smart card. The memory of the smart card stores software controlling the operation of the game and also data relating to gains or losses of the player. Input signals generated by the player are processed within the secure processor and all operations which can influence the outcome of the game are carried out within the secure processor so that the system is not susceptible to tampering, even when used in a non-secure environment. Thus, the system allows gaming to take place in hotel rooms and other non-secure locations, with secure betting and allocation of winnings.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a method of securely controlling a gamingoperation and to a system and apparatus for implementing the method.

Games of chance in which a player actively participates in the game andcan with money according to the outcome of the game are very popular.Such games are normally played in casinos or other controlledenvironments.

Electromechanical and electronic gaming apparatus is frequently used,but must generally also be located in a secure environment to preventtampering with the apparatus. For example, in the case of an electronicgaming apparatus, a person with uncontrolled access to conventionalequipment could monitor the flow of data in the equipment and interferewith its operation, for example, by transmitting false instructions tocredit a player's account with winnings.

It is an object of the invention to provide a method of and apparatusfor controlling a gaming operation which can be operated safely in anon-secure environment.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the invention there is provided a method of controlling agaming operation in which a player bets on the outcome of a game, themethod comprising:

providing secure apparatus comprising secure processor means andassociated secure memory means;

storing in the secure memory means first data related to the control andoperation of a game and second data relating to gains or losses of aplayer of the game;

transmitting input signals to the secure processor means from inputmeans operated by the player; and

transmitting output signals from the secure processor means to displaymeans,

wherein the result of the game and the allocation of gains or losses tothe player are controlled by operations performed on the stored firstand second data and on data derived from the input signals, in thesecure apparatus.

Further according to the invention there is provided a system forcontrolling a gaming operation in which a player bets on the outcome ofa game, the system comprising:

secure apparatus comprising secure processor means with associatedsecure memory means;

input means connectable to the secure processor means and operable by aplayer of a game to transmit input signals to the secure processormeans;

display means connectable to the secure processor means for receivingoutput signals from the secure processor means representing a result ofthe game;

wherein the secure memory means stores first data related to the controland operation of a game and second data relating to gains or losses ofthe player, and wherein the result of the game and the allocation ofgains or losses to the player are controlled by operations performed onthe stored first and second data and on data derived from the inputsignals, in the secure apparatus.

The secure processor means and the secure memory means are preferablyprovided together on a “smart card” comprising a substrate supportingthe processor and memory means, associated electronic circuitry, andcontact means for permitting communication between the processor meansand the input and display means.

The input means may be, for example, a keyboard of a computer, a keypadof a telephone, or a keypad on a dedicated games apparatus.

Alternatively, the input means may comprise a “touch screen” display, amouse, or any other input with a sufficient number of output states.

The display means may comprise, for example, a television set, a videodisplay unit or monitor, a liquid crystal display or another display.

The secure memory means may include first memory for storing softwarecontrolling and operating the game, and second memory storing results ofthe game and data representing the value of gains or losses of theplayer which is adjusted according to the outcome of the game.

The invention extends to the secure apparatus of the system.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a simplified block schematic diagram of secure apparatus forcontrolling a gaming operation according to the invention.

FIG. 2 is a block schematic diagram showing a gaming system in which thesecure apparatus of FIG. 1 is used together with associated non-secureapparatus; and

FIGS. 3 to 6 are flow charts indicating the operation of the secureapparatus with regard to the playing of a game of chance and themanagement of a credit balance of a player, with the correspondingoperation of the non-secure apparatus indicated.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Referring first to FIGS. 1 and 2, the heart of the present invention isa secure apparatus comprising a “smart card” 10 with a contact pad 12.The circuitry of the smart card is illustrated in greater detail in FIG.1, and includes a central processing unit (CPU) 14, which is connectedvia an internal bus 16 to associated random access memory (RAM) 18, readonly memory (ROM) 20 and an electrically erasable programmable read onlymemory (EEPROM) 22. The CPU 14 is also connected via the bus 16 to aserial input/output interface 24 and a random number generator circuit26. The contact pad 12 includes power supply contacts 12.1 and 12.2which supply power to the circuitry of the smart card, a clock contact12.3 connected to the CPU 14 which supplies an external clock signal tothe circuitry, and an input/output (I/O) contact 12.4 allowingcommunication between the serial interface 24 and an external device.

The ROM 20 stores software which controls the operation of one or moregames which can be played by a user of the apparatus, as well ascontrolling the management of winnings data relating to gains and lossesfor that player arising out of bets placed by the player on the outcomeof a game. The RAM 18 temporarily stores data generated for the playingof the game, the abovementioned winnings data, and associated data. TheEEPROM 22 stores data which may be changed from time to time, which mayinclude a portion of the software stored in the ROM 20, or even theentire software, as well as the required operational parameters. Forexample, a portion of the software stored in the EEPROM 22 which may beadjusted from time to time could be used to enhance the functionally ofthe game. Alternatively, the data in the EEPROM could be adjusted toupdate the payout values of the game.

The simplified schematic diagram of FIG. 2 is an example of oneembodiment of a gaming system which uses the smart-card based secureapparatus of FIG. 1 to implement a gaming operation. The system includesan input device in the form of a keypad or keyboard 26 which isconnected to a microprocessor-based controller 28. In the prototypesystem, the keypad 26 is a dedicated unit, similar in appearance to aremote control for a television set and which has a numeric keypad 30 aswell as cursor keys 32. The communication link 34 between the keypad 26and the controller 28 may comprise a table but is preferably a wirelesslink, such as an infrared link.

Connected to the controller 28 is a display 36, which in the prototypesystem is a conventional television set. Thus, the output of thecontroller 28 is a modulated RF signal which can be received by aconventional television set. Obviously, depending of the nature of thedisplay 36, the output of the controller 28 will vary.

Connected to the controller 28 is a smart card reader 38 which hascontacts corresponding to the contact pad 12 on the smart card 10 whichsupplies the necessary power and clock signals to the smart card, andwhich permits communication between the I/O interface 24 of the smartcard and the microprocessor of the controller 28.

It should be appreciated that the components of the system shown in FIG.2, apart from the secure apparatus 10, need not be secure themselves,nor need they be located in a secure environment.

The operation of the system will now be described. The essence of theinvention is that a gambling game, in which value is purchased to be betby a player of a game using the secure apparatus and in which winningsaccrue to or losses are debited from the player, depending on theoutcome of the game, is operated securely in a non-secure environment.This is achieved by providing apparatus which has a secure processor andassociated secure memory, with all crucial operation relating to theoutcome of the game and the crediting of winnings or the debiting oflosses to the player being carried out internally between the secureprocessor and the secure memory only. This prevents tampering with theapparatus, so that neither the outcome of the game nor the winnings orcredit balance of the player can be tampered with.

In the prototype system, the game offered is five card poker. Thedescribed system allows a player to effectively deposit value into thesecure apparatus, creating a credit balance, to place bets while playingthe game offered (one or more times), and to accrue winnings (or losses)according to the outcome of each game. Eventually, the player canconvert the winnings (if any) into value.

In the prototype system, a user of the system obtains a smart card 10which is loaded with either a predetermined credit value or a creditvalue selected by the user, and which is either paid for or debited toan account of the player, for example in a club or hotel. The userinserts the smart card 10 into the card reader 38 of the system, whichmay be installed in a hotel room for example.

Referring now to the flow chart of FIG. 3, the CPU of the smart cardreads and outputs the credit balance stored in the EEPROM 22 of the cardto the controller 28 which generates a display on the display unit 36.This allows the user to see what the maximum possible bet is. The userthen decides how much to bet on the game to be played, and inputs thisfigure via that keypad 26. The secure apparatus will not allow a betgreater than the credit balance available. The amount bet is deductedfrom the credit balance before the game commences.

A “deck of cards” is created by the software stored in the ROM 20 or theEEPROM 22 with the aid of the native random number generator circuit 26and “shuffled” numerous times in order to ensure that the sequence ofcards cannot be predicted. The first five cards from the deck of cardsare moved into a “hand” dealt to the user and stored in the RAM 18, andfive bytes of data representing the hand are output so that the hand isdisplayed to the user. The user can now decide which “cards” in the handto retain or discard in order to attempt to improve the displayed hand.

Referring now to FIG. 4, the user operates the keypad to indicate whichcards are to be discarded or retained. This choice is indicated by fivebytes, each of which relates to a card in the hand dealt and which couldbe either high or low values.

A high value indicates that the card in question must be retained, whilea low value indicates that the card must be discarded. For each cardthat must be discarded, the next card within the deck of cards is movedinto the vacated position within the hand dealt. This sequence of cardsnow becomes the final hand dealt and is compared by the CPU 14 to allpossible winning bands, from the highest possible win downwards (eg.royal flush, four of a kind, . . . , two pairs, one pair).

As soon as the hand dealt is found to match a winning hand, apredetermined payout value (stored in the EEPROM 22) for that particularwinning hand is multiplied by a value corresponding to the amount bet(units bet) and the result is stored in the RAM 18. If no winning handis found, the whole of the RAM 18 is cleared, including the datacorresponding to the amount bet (units bet). The bytes representing thefinal hand dealt and the remaining units bet are output to the display.If the units bet value is zero, a new game must be started and a newamount bet. Otherwise, the user can decide to double the units bet or toadd them to the stored credit balance.

Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, operation of the keypad by the user inputs abyte having a high value or a low value, depending on whether the userwishes to double the bet or to add the units bet value to the existingcredit balance. Action is only taken by the CPU 14 if the units betvalue is other than zero. If the byte has a low value, the units betvalue is added to the credit balance and the whole of the RAM 18including the units but register is cleared. If the byte has a highvalue, any five cards from the deck of cards are randomly moved into thehand dealt and only the first card of the hand dealt is output. Thiscard is displayed, together with four blank cards. The user decideswhich of these blank cards might be higher or the same as the carddisplayed, and selects a card using the keypad 26, which inputs a bytewith a value between one and four. An action is only taken on this byteif the user had previously requested a doubling of the bet.

The selected card is compared to the card output from the hand dealt. Ifthe numerical value of the card chosen is greater than the numericalvalue of the card output, the units bet value is doubled. If thenumerical value of the card chosen is equal to the numerical value ofthe card output there is no change to the units bet value. If thenumerical value of the cards chosen is less than the numerical value ofthe card output, the whole of the RAM 18 including the units betregister is cleared.

The bytes representing the five cards including the card output storedin the hand dealt and the value remaining in the units but register areoutput and displayed. If no value remains in the units bet register, anew game must be started, or else the player can repeat the aboveprocess, either attempting to double the units bet value or adding theunits bet value to the credit balance.

The flow charts of FIGS. 3 to 6 also illustrate the operations which areprovided by the non-secure components of the system.

In the prototype system, the RAM 18 layout had the followingconfiguration:

*Units bet 4 bytes Between 1 and JACKPOT units Indicates the amount ofunits bet or won. *Deck of cards 52 bytes  Each card of the deck isrepresented by 1 byte. *Hand dealt 5 bytes Each card in the deal isrepresented by 1 byte.

The byte representing each card is split into 2 nibbles i.e. the higherorder nibble denoting the suit (eg 0001b=spades, 0010b=hearts,0100b=diamonds and 1000b=clubs) and the low order nibble denoting thecard within the suit (eg 0001b=ace, 0010b=two, 0011b=three . . . .1010b=ten, 1011b=jack, 1100b=queen, 1101b=king). As an example the fourof clubs would be represented by the byte 84b (10000100b) and the kingof spades would be represented by the byte 1Dh (00011101b).

In the prototype system, the EEPROM 22 stores the necessary logic andalgorithms required to emulate a standard five card poker game.

The layout of the rest of the EEPROM 22 for any game of chance could beas follows:

*Balance of units 4 bytes Between 1 and 42 000 000 or credit balanceunits *Payout values variable These values depend on the game of chancebeing played and upon the return expected by the operator of the system.

The balance of units field is updated every time a game is played, whilethe payout values are set before the card is issued to the user andwould not normally be altered.

From the above description it will be apparent that, although there iscommunication between the secure processor of the smart card andexternal input and display means, this communication concerns onlyoutput signals from the secure processor which generates a display, andpermissible control signals generated by the keypad or other input meanswhich is operated by the user of the system. There is no bus or othercommunications link which is accessible to a would-be hacker or criminalwhich could be accessed to tamper or interfere with the operation of thesystem. Thus, the described invention allows for the secure operation ofa gambling game in which money or its equivalent is won or lost, whichcan safely be used in a non-secure environment.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of controlling a gaming operation inwhich a player bets on the outcome of a game, the method comprising:providing secure apparatus comprising secure processor means forcontrolling the gaming operation and associated secure memory means forstoring data; storing in the secure memory means software related to thecontrol and operation of a game and data relating to gains or losses ofthe player of the game; transmitting inputs signals to the secureprocessor means from input means operated by the player; andtransmitting output signals from the secure processor means to displaymeans, wherein the result of the game and the allocation of gains andlosses to the player are exclusively controlled by operations performedby the software and the data derived from the input signals, in thesecure apparatus.
 2. A system for controlling a gaming operation inwhich a player bets on the output of the game, the system comprising:secure apparatus comprising secure processor means for controlling thegaming operation with associated secure memory means for storing data;input means selectively connectable to the secure processor means, theinput means being connected to the secure processor means and operableby a player of a game to transmit input signals to the secure processormeans during operation of the game; display means connectable to thesecure processor means for receiving output signals from the secureprocessor means representing a result of the game; wherein the securememory means stores software related to the control and operation of thegame and data relating to gains or losses to the player, and wherein theresult of the game and the allocation of gains or losses to the playerare exclusively controlled by operations performed by the software andthe data derived from the input signals, in the secure apparatus.
 3. Asystem according to claim 2, wherein the secure processor means and thesecure memory means are provided together on a “smart card” comprising asubstrate supporting the secure processor means and the secure memorymeans, and contacts means for permitting communication between thesecure processor means and the input and display means.
 4. A systemaccording to claim 2, wherein the input means is a keyboard of acomputer, a keypad of a telephone, or a keypad on a dedicated gamesapparatus.
 5. A system according to claim 2, wherein the input meanscomprises a “touch screen” display.
 6. A system according to claim 2,wherein the input means comprises a mouse.
 7. A system according toclaim 2 wherein the display means comprises a television set, a videodisplay unit or monitor or a liquid crystal display.
 8. A systemaccording to claim 2 wherein the secure memory means includes a firstmemory for storing the software, and a second memory for storing resultsof the game and the data representing the value of gains or losses ofthe player which is adjusted according to the outcome of the game. 9.Secure apparatus for use in a system for controlling a gaming operationin which a player bets on the outcome of a game, the secure apparatuscomprising secure processor means with associated secure memory means,wherein the secure memory means stores software related to the controland operation of a game and data relating to gains or losses of theplayer, and wherein the result of the game and the allocation of gainsor losses to the player are controlled by operations performed by thesoftware and the data derived from the input signals, in the secureapparatus, the secure processor means being adapted for connection toinput means operable by a player of a game to transmit input signals tothe secure processor means, and further being adapted for connection todisplay means arranged to receive output signals from the secureprocessor means representing a result of the game.
 10. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the data is representative of a credit value allocatedto the player.
 11. The method of claim 1, further comprising providingsecond processor means.
 12. The method of claim 11, wherein the inputsignals to the secure processor means from the input means aretransmitted via the second processor means to commence a game and toenter a bet and the method further comprising after the step oftransmitting input signals: reducing the credit value represented by thedata by an amount corresponding to a bet may be the player.
 13. Themethod of claim 11, wherein the output signals represent a result of thegame and are transmitted via the second processor means and the methodfurther comprising after the step of transmitting input signals:increasing or reducing the credit value according to the outcome of thegame.
 14. The method of claim 13, wherein the increasing or reducing ofthe credit value are exclusively controlled within the secure apparatus.15. The system of claim 2, further comprising second processor means.16. The system of claim 15, wherein the input means is connectable tothe secure processor means via the second processor means and operableby a player to commence a game.
 17. The system of claim 15, wherein thedisplay means is connectable to the secure processor means via thesecond processor means for receiving output signals.
 18. The system ofclaim 2, wherein the second data is representative of a credit valueallocated to the player and wherein the secure processor means operatesto reduce the credit value by an amount corresponding to a bet made bythe player, and to increase or decrease the credit value according tothe outcome of the game to allocate gains and losses to the player. 19.The system of claim 9, wherein the data is representative of a creditvalue allocated to the player and wherein the secure processor meansoperates to reduce the credit value by an amount corresponding to a betmade by the player, and to increase or decrease the credit valueaccording to the outcome of the game to allocate gains and losses to theplayer.